KP grants 39 trophy hunting permits worth Rs540 million

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Wildlife Department has auctioned 39 trophy hunting permits, generating more than $1.9 million (Rs540 million) in revenue.

The permits were auctioned for the Markhor, the Himalayan Ibex, and the newly introduced Gray Goral.

According to the Wildlife Department, a total of 13 Markhor, 20 Ibex, and six Gray Goral hunting permits were auctioned for both exportable and non-exportable hunts.

The high demand for these permits highlights the popularity of KP’s trophy hunting program among international hunters, according to the wildlife authorities.

Special Assistant for Wildlife Pir Musawar Khan confirmed that this year marks the first introduction of the Grey Coral hunting permit in the province.

The inclusion of Coral alongside Markhor and Ibex is expected to diversify opportunities for hunters and further boost revenues.

He emphasized that the trophy hunting program is not only about generating income, but also about supporting wildlife conservation and the improvement of local communities.

“Revenue from the trophy hunting program will be spent on wildlife protection, habitat improvement, and development projects for communities living around conservation areas,” Khan added.

A couple of days ago, the KP wildlife department granted conditional permission for the hunting of the Russian dove within the province.

Under the issued guidelines, the hunting fee was set at Rs25 per bird, and licensed hunters could hunt Russian doves only until October 31, and only on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

A fine of Rs5,000 per bird will be imposed for exceeding the limit of eight birds.

The department also announced a complete ban on hunting across 57 water bodies, including dams, lakes, rivers, ponds, and barrages of the province until December.